The Secret Lives Of Moody Joody
Emi Grant sat down with rising stars, Moody Joody, to chat about what it’s like to headline a tour, release an album, and leave everything behind to pursue their dreams.
Images provided by Moody Joody
Underneath Nightclub 101’s disco ball, the indie band, Moody Joody, was huddled on the stage. Their set, which came in at about an hour and ten minutes, had just ended, but the fans were hungry for more. It was time for an encore.
The band revealed that they had planned on playing their not-yet-released track Fantasyland, but after some tech issues, they were left in a lurch.
Producer and musician Andrew Pacheco explained that headlining a tour was uncharted waters for the group. While they had opened for Misterwives, The Maine, Smallpools, and ARIZONA., this was Moody Joody’s first real shot at curating a show.
“I remember right before going on stage, I was like, wait, are these people gonna like actually know us?” said Pacheco. In planning their set, the band combed DMs for fan favorites and mused at the idea that people might be able to sing along.
Moody Joody is an indie group first formed in Nashville Tennessee in 2020. Lead vocalists Kayla Hall and Kaitie Forbes first met on a writer girl group chat after a mutual friend suggested they would get along. Pacheco, who had produced solo tracks for both women, agreed to a group collaboration on a song after meeting Forbes at a Pale Waves concert. When their song “Velvet Connection” started getting playlisted on Spotify, the trio realized they had struck gold. The problem? They also had no back catalogue. When fans asked them to release new music, they had to explain they didn’t have any.
Their upcoming album, Plain Jane has tracks that span the band’s life cycle. They’ve spent the better part of six years meticulously crafting the suburban world around the titular character. Moody Joody categorizes their music into two groups: Moodys and Joodys. Moodys are melancholic, reflective songs while Joodys are the lively crowd pleasers.
Derived from their shared imagination, Plain Jane is an exercise in chasing one’s dreams despite expectations.
“It’s about finding the courage to disappoint people,” said Forbes.
Forbes and Hall share a similar journey in breaking from conservative, religious communities. Forbes remembers having a purity ring as a teen, attempting to blend into a rigid Salt Lake City community.
“Have you ever seen Secret Lives of Mormon Wives?” She laughs. “That was my life.”
Though Hall’s parents were supportive, she didn’t share her musical aspirations until her Nashville move was already set in stone.
“My dad grew up on a dairy farm so for him, the suburbs was the dream,” she expained. “I got a degree in journalism which I didn’t end up using. I have this weird sort of guilt about it.”
Plain Jane is a family affair. Despite a lacking musical background, Pacheco’s mother sang background vocals on Fantasyland. Kayla’s grandmother’s voice can also be heard on their upcoming track, Sally. The band prioritizes including their loved ones in the process.
That night, as the band made hurried plans for their final songs, the room was filled with friends and family. Kayla shouted out her mom and sister as she stalled. Finally, a laptop whirred on and Fantasyland boomed through the speakers. The woman declared a dance party as they flung themselves into the audience. The night ended with a convergence of fan and artist. Moody Joody released their new album into the world.